


The Flash and the Reporter

by withaflashoflove



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-11
Updated: 2016-12-11
Packaged: 2018-09-07 23:54:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8821300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/withaflashoflove/pseuds/withaflashoflove
Summary: Based on a tumblr prompt request: Barry & iris doing a photoshoot together for people magazine





	

**_Interviewer:_ ** _So is it true that you and Reporter Iris West are friends?_

**_The_** **_Flash:_** _Yeah, you could say that. Miss West and I have a level of understanding beyond_ _anyone else and she’s a great reporter who perfects her articles and stories, which I find admirable. I can trust her._

**_Interviewer:_ ** _How would you describe Miss West, Flash?_

**_The_ ** **_Flash:_ ** _S_ _he’s just amazing all around and is experienced, articulate, thorough and passionate. Central City is lucky to have her. No other reporter is capable of doing what she does, while looking that beautiful, might I add._

Iris read the snippet of the interview 40 times over, feeling mixtures of flattery and embarrassment and dread. She finally flipped back to the cover page of the magazine. The title ARE CENTRAL CITY’S FINEST DATING?! stared back at her, words bold, font big. Never mind the fact that her phone hadn’t stopped buzzing for the past two hours. Never mind that she should’ve called into CCPN to say she was going to be late...or better yet, that she just wasn’t going to show up today. Never mind that there were five reporters banging on her door, screaming at her to comment on the story. Right now, she needed to see Barry, because boy was he in trouble.

Before she could think about how exactly she was going to leave home unnoticed - and get _anywhere_ without the constant bombardment of paparazzi - she felt herself flying through the air, only to feel her feet land on the ground seconds later. She looked up to see the familiar setting of her dad’s house and felt Barry’s hand steady her back, bringing her to a balanced stop.

“Hi,” he says bashfully, when she has the chance to catch her breath.

Iris stares at him for a few moments before deciding words weren’t good enough. Instead she takes the magazine still curled in her hand and smacks his chest with it, not once, not twice, but only until he finally pulls it away from her. Even then, she doesn’t calm.

“Are you out of your mind Barry?!” she asks, bewildered, “ _while looking that beautiful_?! _She’s just amazing all around_?! PLEASE, why don’t you just announce we’re dating while you’re at it! Clearly they caught onto that!”

“No hey I know, I’m so sorry!” he replies, hurriedly trying to explain himself, “I just got so carried away in the interview and when they started asking me about you, I couldn’t stop myself from explaining. The point was to highlight how great of a journalist you were. I didn’t realize it sounded so flirty until Wally and Cisco nearly drove me into the ground...”

“Yeah well, they should’ve,” she huffs. “I know you’re ang-”

“Damn right I’m angry! Babe, it was sweet and I really appreciate all the kind comments, but you realize how bad this sounds?! Not only does the entire city think we’re dating and I have magazines calling my phone left and right asking for a photoshoot and for an interview, but there are reporters banging on my door, my dad’s entire team is about ready to kick The Flash’s ass because they know I’m dating YOU! Barry what the hell were you thinking?!”

“I - I wasn’t,” he stammers, hands coming to rub his temples, “when it comes to you, I don’t think. I just...I got carried away. I’m sorry.”

Her face softens at his sincerity and she can’t help but calm, anger slowly dissipating, only to be replaced by utmost love. Iris lets out an exasperated sigh, only to walk herself back over to him and lift his head. “I’m sorry for yelling,” she says. 

He leans into her touch and gives her lips a quick kiss before resting his forehead on hers, “I’m sorry for putting you in a terrible position. Really though, it’s your fault.”

“My fault?” she asks, pulling back.

“Yes your fault!” he replies, hands coming to grip her waist, “you have all of me so captivated that I lose track of common sense the minute someone mentions your name.” 

Iris rolls her eyes but stays in place, secretly humbled by his adorableness, thanking her stars for getting so lucky with him.

“Okay babe,” she finally says, eyes coming to meet his, “I think I have a solution.”

“Yeah?”

“We need to contact _People Magazine_ again. Let’s do a photoshoot and an interview.”

His face screams confusion and he steps back to get a good look at her, wondering if something possessed his girlfriend into thinking of an idea as ridiculous as that.

“Hear me out,” she continues, aware of his doubts, “we do the damn photoshoot and we act really awkward. No touching, no smiling, no nothing. And when we do the interview, I say that I already have a boyfriend, okay? And we play it off as acquaintances and nothing more.”

“Right, right! That’s perfect!” 

“Mhm, but for it to work, I need you to not get carried away, okay? Promise me you can act the part?”

He sighs and looks her up and down one last time. His head shakes with worry and his nose scrunches, but he gives her his all-too-usual thumbs up. 

Iris lets out another laugh, leaning up to kiss his lips.

 

* * *

 

“Can you two get just a little bit closer?” the photographer asks, staring at The Flash and Iris West, both posed at opposite sides in front of the screen, neither showing any welcoming expressions.

They’d been at this for the past 15 minutes and every time the photographer asked them to get closer or to show that they didn’t in fact despise each other, neither budged. So far, the plan was working. 

“Actually, I don’t feel comfortable doing that,” Iris speaks up, not bothering to look at The Flash for confirmation, “I’m also tired of this photoshoot and have important places to be. Mind if we just get on with the interview?” 

With one last eye roll, the photographer eases off them and calls in his partner to do the interview. Both Iris and The Flash make their way to their respective seats.

“So,” the interviewer begins, “tell me a little bit about your relationship. Iris, we can start with you.”

“Uhm,” she says, trying to play the part of the flattered-yet-embarrassed journalist, “there’s not much to it. We just work well together when we need to, and nothing more.” 

The interviewer waits for her to go on, but when she doesn’t, she turns to The Flash.

“Right,” he answers, “what she said.”

The interviewer looks at the two of them before dropping her eyes back to her notes, “Okay, well do you enjoy working with each other?” 

“Yes,” Iris responds quickly, “we take pride in helping Central City. It’s a purely professional relationship dedicated to ensuring the safety of the people here.”

When the interviewer looks back at The Flash only to see a slight head nod from him, she decides to give it up with the formalities. 

“Miss West, are you and The Flash dating?” 

Iris smirks at the question, a little impressed by the interviewer’s daring brazenness. She simply shakes her head, “no The Flash and I are not dating. I have a boyfriend who I very much love and adore.” 

Suddenly, the interviewer’s face lights up, “and Mr. Flash, do you have a girlfriend?”

He stills at her question only to briefly look at Iris. When he sees her looking down, his attention turns back to the interviewer.

“Umm,” he stutters, suddenly feeling very pressured, but quickly remembering his girlfriend’s _act_ _the part_ comments, “I can’t disclose any information that would put the people I know at risk of danger.”

“Okay then,” the interviewer says with a smug look plastered on her face, “thank you both for your dedication to the city. I appreciate you taking the time to talk to me.”

* * *

 

**EVEN THE FLASH GETS FRIENDZONED!**

**_Read the all-too-telling interview inside!_ **

Barry stares at the title, a pout coming to his lips. He looks over to his girlfriend to see her take a sip of her coffee and continue typing, not even aware of his presence.

“Are we gonna talk about this?” he finally asks, making his way over to her.

“Nope,” she smiles, eyes not leaving the screen, “nothing to talk about babe.”

“Actually,” his hands come to turn her chair so that she’s face to face with him, “why does media continually perpetuate the myth of _the friendzone_?”

Iris lets out a laugh and brings her hands to hold his face, leaning down to give him a

kiss, “because girls are expected to date every _nice_ guy, as if that’s their reward for treating us like decent human beings.”

Barry kneels down before her, hands coming to rest on her thighs, “You deal with a lot, don’t you?”

“Yes! So when The Flash makes it seem like I _should_ be dating him, it makes life a lot more difficult. But I hope we both learned something from this Bear.” 

“Right,” he replies, “I learned not to open my mouth so big when it comes to talking about you - though I promise, that’ll take a lot of practice, but I’ll try - and you lear-”

“Okay hold on,” she cuts him off, “how about instead, you learned not to do interviews with anyone expect me, okay? No more magazines. No more gossipy news sites, yeah?”

“Mmm, noted.”

She gives him another smile, but before she turns around to focus on writing again, they hear his phone ring. Before Barry can get up and reach it, she holds him in place, face filling with guilt and hints of mischievousness. “Cisco, Wally and Linda are gonna tease you senseless. I’m sorry in advance.”

“Iris,” his eyes open wide, hand coming to dishevel his hair.

“Think of it as payback. I promise, it won’t be as bad as reporters banging on your door though.” 

Somehow he _knows_ it’ll be much worse than that, but before he can respond to her, he feels her lips on his again as her hands come to tangle in his hair, and he thinks all the teasing and all the humiliation in the world are worth having the one and only Iris West in his arms.


End file.
